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Why are more men getting plastic surgery?

September 26, 2013

Every plastic surgery patient has his or her own personal reasons for going under the knife, but there are general trends that cosmetic surgeons see amongst their clients.

Every plastic surgery patient has his or her own personal reasons for going under the knife, but there are general trends that cosmetic surgeons see amongst their clients. For men in particular, there are a number of different catalysts that may encourage a guy to get a little nip and tuck. Some of the most common may be surprising.

A competitive edge
Even though we are slowly bouncing back from the "Great Recession," it's still a dog-eat-dog environment for unemployed guys or men looking to climb up the ladder. There are age discrimination laws in place to level the playing field for older men searching for career opportunities, but there's no denying that your looks can play a major factor in whether you seal the deal. Some men find that by shaving off a few years with a facelift or correcting a distracting facial feature through rhinoplasty or ear reshaping, they are able to get a leg up over guys who may be less experienced, but more youthful.

A chance at romance
It's not just the workplace where guys need looks to get ahead. No longer can men get away with slapping on some cheap cologne and running some pomade through their hair before a date. Modern women want men who put effort into their appearance, which may mean spending the money to reduce wrinkles with Botox or improve skin quality with microdermabrasion. Online dating and social media also means your profile picture has to look good, meaning a strong jaw and symmetrical features will help you get your foot in the door.

Influential spouses
Many more women go under the knife than men, but that trend may be what's driving the increase in the number of guys who get plastic surgery. Men who see that their wives are able to shed stubborn fat with liposuction or get rid of unwanted hair with laser hair removal may be inspired to take similar steps themselves. This is why couples surgery, when two members of a relationship go under the knife or receive cosmetic treatments together, is becoming more popular.

Daddy makeover
Pregnancy and motherhood takes a toll on women's bodies, but men also suffer physical consequences when assuming the role of a father. Kids leave you with less time to hit the gym, fewer opportunities to cook healthy meals, more stress and less sleep. All of these factors can make a man age faster than he normally would, which is why some dads look for help from a board-certified plastic surgeon.

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As more and more men seemingly flock to hop on the beauty bandwagon year-over-year, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that more of them are seeking out a variety of cosmetic procedures to enhance or rejuvenate their looks.

Today, it is fairly common for men to invest in aesthetic self-care without kicking up societal judgment. The stigma seems to have diminished significantly. Scientific advances provide a myriad of nonsurgical solutions for our most pervasive beauty woes, and it’s refreshing to see more men dipping their (pedicured) toe into the world of aesthetic procedures.

Being a parent, it is my responsibility to teach my kids to be confident, and that confidence isn’t entirely based on one’s outward appearance. I am personally not a proponent of aesthetic plastic surgery for minors, but as a father of boys, I feel very empathetic towards boys and young men with gynecomastia. The treatment, (breast reduction surgery), is the only aesthetic surgical procedure that I will perform on children.